PerreaultForever

Toughness is part of the problem. He does not move bodies or box out well around the net. Yes, he's fairly passive on D, but if he was tougher he could get away with that.

Before or after Dahlin asks for a trade?

Maybe he did? Although it's correct he can't play until Dec. I really doubt he'd come to Buffalo. He has said he wants a fresh start and he wants a U.S. city but he'd take Edmonton over Buffalo and we already know Edmonton will take players with past issues.

Adams lives in a delusional bubble of his own creation. The correct sentence should be "we have some elite skill and talent on our D corp. If some of them can gel and learn to use that skill we should be alright"

Jordan Greenway come on down..............you are the next player added to the list. That was quicker than I expected.

Well you can scratch Greenway from that idea already and Doan is just a name until we see what he can do. I do not feel confident that we got some guy ready to break out and emerge. He's just a throw in on a trade at the moment. We need Tuch's offense so although he can PK I don't see him in any sort of checking role. I just don't think we have the players for any sort of true checking line so you might as well try to outscore teams and let McLeod be 2C for his speed and experience. So Benson-McLeod-Tuch I guess. He's over matched at 2C but unless we leave Tage at center and Norris is 2C (and then Kulich plays wing???) I don't see an alternative.

Zucker-Norris-Tage. That's my top line season opener guess. I'm curious to what you said though. If you see McLeod as a center for a checking line who is that line? Who are the other two "checkers"? and then if you build that line what's line 2? Benson and Quinn? Tuch? As I type this I can't think of an arrangement I'd feel comfortable with.

From what you saw, can Helenius become a new version of Christian Ruuttu?

A fair comparison. Although Jerry Jones (for all his errors) might be more competent than Terry. There's also that thing we heard earlier that "Buffalo was hard to deal with" in terms of trading. I think that was on 32 thoughts around the time of the Byram rumors or Peterka trade. I tend to forget as I'm less invested these days but it was around there. So you have to think two things. One, Kevyn does not have good relationships with other GMs and two, I wonder if part of that is Kevyn constantly having to get the okay from Terry. Whatever the case it isn't good. We need an experienced GM who already has league relationships and he needs to be given free reign and that won't happen with Terry. Apathy? I guess so. I've been in the prove it on the ice mode for a few years already and now I'm really deeply in the skeptical prove it camp. Even a 10 game out of the gate win streak won't get me out of that. It'll take a lot to get me back on the bandwagon. So I guess I'd say not apathetic (as I will still watch) but definitely cynically skeptical. I will say this is the first year I am not interested in the rookie camp or prospects and I don't plan to watch preseason unless I'm really bored or multitasking. The "future" stuff is a big pile of whatever.

The lack of hope stems from one central idea and that is that Terry Pegula is stuck on one idea, one vision, and he won't relinquish power to actual hockey people who know better. Terry thinks he knows better and he is the de facto GM or director of hockey operations. As long as that remains this will continue as is with a little up then a little down but all on the outside of the playoffs as players leave or get dumped in rebuilds periodically. Everything else is just icing on a cake that was baked with salt instead of sugar.

Just be glad they didn't trade for Fedotov.

So did he "win the trade"?

You said "Do it" I did it. I don't really care if you intended to be sarcastic or snippy or whatever. I just thought sure, take him literally and start it. Takes a minute to do tops. If nobody cares, whatever. Move on. It's just the internet. You saw Georgiev play last year right?

Go Mammoth?

As do most teams that are good for a long time (but as a Sabres fan I respect your wish for them to suck forever). They got Hagens when they probably shouldn't have though so we shall see what he amounts to. I can't figure out what they will be this year. Probably suck, but probably also hard to play against so I don't know if that gets them anywhere or not. I find it interesting that they aren't naming a captain. It's Pasternak or McAvoy (presumably) but they aren't going to name one this year. makes me wonder if it goes badly this year one or both of them might get dealt for an even bigger tear down. Just a speculation, but it's an unusual move for that team. Much depends on Swayman who seems like your typical crazy goalie so who knows.